1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to coin sorting devices and, more particularly, to coin sorters of the type which use a resilient rotating disc and a stationary sorting head for sorting coins of mixed diameters.
2. Background Information
Although disc-type coin sorters with resilient discs have been used for a number of years, problems are still encountered in applying this technology to certain types of coin sets. For example, in coin sets which includes coin denominations of widely varying thicknesses, when the thicker coins are pressed deeply into the surface of the resilient disc they create impressions in the surface of the disc. Such an impression also causes a depression of the area immediately surrounding the coin, resulting in immediately adjacent thinner coins to be positioned at a lower elevation than desired. The lower position causes the thinner coins to be spaced from, or only lightly pressed against, the lowermost surface of the contoured sorting head so that the thinner coins do not reliably follow the contour of the sorting head. For example, rather than engaging and following the downstream wall of the appropriate exit channel, a thin coin can dive under the desired guide wall and not be exited from the disc at the desired location. This will result in the missorting of coins.
Similar problems can occur with coins that are wedge-shaped, as a result of wear or mint errors. If the thin part of a wedge-shaped coin is at the downstream edge of the coin, the coin can pass under the guiding wall of its exit channel and cause a missort.
In addition to the specific problem discussed above, there is also an ongoing desire for ever-greater accuracy in the sorting of coins, particularly in disc-type sorters which operate at extremely high speeds.